2014 PFF All-Pro Team

The 2014 Regular Season is in the books and as ever we’ve watched every player, on every play, of every game. That means we feel uniquely qualified to give credit where it’s due, so we take a lot of pride in our awards week.

And what better way than to kick off this week of praise and adulation with the 2014 PFF All-Pro team. Who made the list? Let’s find out…

OFFENSE

Quarterback: Aaron Rodgers (GB)Second Team: Ben Roethlisbeger (PIT)

Rodgers was a true consensus pick with another impressive year, marshalling the prolific Packers offense and leading the PFF passer rankings. It was tougher picking the second team but not by much, with an underrated year by Roethlisberger seeing him lead the league in yards as he guided the Steelers to the postseason.Honorable Mention: Tony Romo (DAL), Drew Brees (NO) and Tom Brady (NE)

Running Back: Le’Veon Bell (PIT)Second Team: Marshawn Lynch (SEA)

It was any two from three here, but in the end when we isolated the play of the backs from their offensive lines it was Murray who just missed out. Ultimately, we liked the all-around ability of Bell and the ability of Lynch to make something out of nothing (league-leading 101 forced missed tackles).Honorable Mention: DeMarco Murray (DAL) and Eddie Lacy (GB)

Fullback: Anthony Sherman (KC)Second Team: Bruce Miller (SF)

Two on the bounce for Sherman who continues to prove an inspired pickup. The top-ranked fullback might not contribute a lot with the ball in his hand, but his blocking sets him apart.Honorable Mention: Henry Hynoski (NYG)

Tight End: Rob Gronkowski (NE)Second Team: Greg Olsen (CAR)

Was there an easier pick here? Gronkowski is the biggest difference-maker at tight end and it shows with how much better the Patriots’ offense is with him on the field. In the second spot, Olsen has gone about his business and proved an extremely valuable target, as evidenced by the first 1,000-yard season of his career.Honorable Mention: Jason Witten (DAL)

We’ve added a special spot for a slot receiver, and that means Sanders gets a first-team nod even if overall we preferred the season of Bryant. The year of Beckham Jr. amazes for a number of reasons, but the sheer consistency of his play and the production that followed (even missing four games) pushed him into the first team. Brown isn’t a physical freak but now has back-to-back years with our highest receiving grade.Honorable Mention: Demaryius Thomas (DEN) and Julio Jones (ATL)

It hurts to leave one out after Peters as Whitworth and Joe Thomas all had remarkable years. In the end, Thomas slowed at the end of the season and that allowed Peters (the most impactful run blocker) and Whitworth (who allowed just nine hurries all year) to win out. The level of play at right tackle wasn’t quite as high, but Johnson deserves a lot of credit for turning his 12 games into an All-Pro effort.Honorable Mention: Joe Thomas (CLE) and Ricky Wagner (BAL)

It’s not often a rookie linemen will swoop in and earn a first-team spot, but the excellent Bitonio was just that guy. He proved to be a home run hit from Week 1 and a legit Offensive Rookie of the Year contender. Yanda on the other side, had as good a season as any linemen, even when he had to kick out to right tackle. His excellence is accepted now, but no less impressive than it has been in his stellar career.Honorable Mention: Josh Sitton (GB), Zack Martin (DAL), Brandon Brooks (HOU) and Kevin Zeitler (CIN)

Center: Nick Mangold (NYJ)Second Team: Travis Frederick (DAL)

Back to his best and back in the PFF All-Pro team, Mangold may have ended the season on Injured Reserve, but his 1,000 snaps where an exhibition in excellence. Here’s hoping he can come back just as strong from injury. Frrederick was a consensus second-teamer, fantastic in the run game but needs to do better in pass pro to move up a team.Honorable Mention: Rodney Hudson (KC)

Good list. Only thing I’d mention (as an Eagles fan) is that I would’ve liked more love for Evan Mathis. Mathis easily is the best guard in the league and would have ranked #1 among guards if he played a full season. Even ranked 2nd despite the early-season injury.

bobrulz

PFF has given Mathis his due in the past. I’m sure his smaller body of work was the reason for not being mentioned this year.

eYeDEF

How does missing half the season warrant more love?

Chris

All right, I’m starting to think there’s some sort of conspiracy around here…where’s Andy Dalton!

Joey Gardner

Hit triple digits passing with no interceptions yesterday?! This is a fallacy

mutzki

I continue to be amazed by how shocked some people are that players of their favorite teams didn’t make it onto the list.
Guess what. Other teams have good players too.

Chris

Every time they post an article like this it always turns into everyone shouting that the players on their team are better than the one’s on the list and that PFF is a crap fraud and the whole site is a conspiracy

LAWL

Sid

To be fair their grading methods for secondary players (and to a lesser extent, quarterbacks) is pretty deeply flawed. Getting a zero grade for not being targeted all game is hilariously misguided

Anonymous

But you don’t get a 0 grade for being targeted all game long. They grade the plays they considered you in coverage (man or zone) and grade those plays whether you were in good coverage and not targeted, good coverage and targeted, bad coverage and not targeted, bad coverage and targeted, etc.

That’s why they have a “coverage” grade and a “run” grade for DBs.

Now if you don’t get targeted, you can’t make INT’s (which account for higher plus grades, but you also can’t give up TD’s which account for higher minus plays. Overall the DB grade is comparative. You can’t compare a DB’s grade to a DE’s grade. It’s why the cream usually rises to the top in the PFF grading system of DB’s regardless of number of targets (ie. Revis, Sherman, Harris, Davis)

Sid

That’s not the only problem with their secondary grades; there are many. For instance, they consistently grade Earl Thomas considerably lower than any player or coach would. This is because they don’t properly account for the scheme that he plays in. The Seahawks’ base coverage is a cover 3, which is normally vulnerable to post and sean routes. Despite this, the Seahawks’ defense is consist my among the least targeted defenses on post and seam routes. It doesn’t matter how good PFF thinks Earl’s coverage is; opposing coaches are terrified by his range and instincts so they never target him. Eliminating the weakness in their base scheme while also being a playmaker is what makes Earl the near consensus (among players and coaches) best safety in the league.

Nice list. Hightower and Collins always get credit from PFF but never make the pro bowl or all pro list lol. At least some people realize how great they have been..

Jeremy

Why did Demarco Murray get honorable mention instead of CJ Anderson when CJ Anderson was a +19.8 and Murray was a +15.2.

Isn’t PFF supposed to be above the popularity contests?

Chris

Likely because Anderson did all of his work in the 2nd half of the season while Murray did it all year.

Jeremy

That makes it even more impressive. He did more work in less time. Imagine if CJ Anderson had started all year

Chris

That is a valid argument, and I agree, but it also becomes a ‘body of work’ argument for Murray as he performed at that level all year.

I’m just guessing.

anon76returns

How does that work?
PFF grades are cumulative over the year. CJ’s grade was higher on a per game, per play, and cumulative basis. If PFF really believes that their grades are the best evaluations of talent, then it’s hard for them to argue that Murray played better in any fashion. He did play more snaps, but performed much worse on those plays (+0.019/snap for Murray vs +0.038/snap for CJ).

Chris

Again, I said I’m just guessing. I could be wrong, but for lists like this they tend to value guys with higher snap counts who did it all season (see Mathis below for a similar argument).

eYeDEF

I don’t really see what you’re getting at. What if a player had one outstanding game for the ages and didn’t play for the rest of the year? Should that guy be eligible to be named All Pro for the season? No that would be ridiculous. Sample size too small. I think you’ll agree that it’s easier to play exceptionally for one game then it is for 16 games. Likewise CJ Anderson’s score is not as impressive over eight games as it is if he did it through the grind of 16 games. Over the course of an entire season his score would have most likely suffered a regression to mean. Whether ît would have sunk to a lower score than DeMarco Murray is a good question. But it just wouldn’t be fair to name him all pro if he’s had the advantage of performing in a significantly lower number of snaps.

anon76returns

That’s absolutely ridiculous.

First off, CJ played in 15 games this season, he just had less snaps in a lot of the games than Murray did.

Second of all, if we’re going to extremes on the argument here, you’d have to say that every PFF All Pro selection had more snaps than anyone else at their position, otherwise ANY lower-graded player who played more snaps could argue e.g. “Yeah, Rodgers was great. But if he had to QB for another 200 snaps, his grade would have nose-dived”.

Third of all, Murray had 0 games with a PFF grade 3.0 or greater, in 16 opportunities. CJ had 3 such games. Murray never played as well as CJ did- not in his first 3 games, not in his last 3, and nowhere in between. He did not demonstrate that he was capable of playing as well as CJ, even before the “grind of 16 games” had the opportunity to slow him down.

Fourth, if we’re arguing about who was better- Murray or CJ, then the mean is unknown. Saying CJ would have regressed to the mean presupposes that CJ’s true mean would have been something lower than his body of work over the season demonstrated, and that his highly graded games were extreme outliers. Not only is it wrong to make such a presupposition, but it relies on the dodgy chance that you’d get more extreme outliers in a smaller population.

Fifth, PFF grades are cumulative. For CJ to have a 16-game total as low as Murray’s, he’d have to have a hugely negative game, something he has never done in the NFL, not in the 15 games he played in this season, not something he did in the 3 games (including the SB) he played in last season.

Sixth, scroll up the list of folks that actually were voted in for the PFF all-pro team, and you’ll see that Odell Beckham Jr. got 1st team All Pro, while Demaryius Thomas was merely an honorable mention. The difference in PFF grades between DT and ODB was 1.1 (favor of ODB), compared to a the Anderson-Murray difference of 3.6 (favor of Anderson). ODB played in 4 less games than DT, compared to CJ playing in 1 less game than Murray. PFF already set the precedent that impact in games played over-rides not being a starter in every game.

eYeDEF

You’re really going to sit there and try and pit Anderson’s first nine games where he was only in on 9% of the team’s offensive snaps like it’s somehow comparable to Murray’s first nine games where he played 75% of his team’s offensive snaps and sustained that high percentage throughout the season? Anderson didn’t even play in 50% of his team’s offensive snaps for the season, why should he be named All Pro? Second half of the season sure. But since you’re going to pretend like the playing time he got in the first half of his season somehow qualified him to have played all season it’s perfectly legitimate for me to ask why a running back should be named All Pro for the year when for half the year he’s getting less than two carries a game and producing nothing on the field and likewise didn’t have a PFF score in the green once during that time? But since you’re under the impression CJ’s playing in 15 games should qualify him then I need only point out he only had half of DMMs production for almost a full season of games so his production doesn’t stack up at all to DMM, case closed. You’re a funny guy wielding such an silly argument.

And it’s hilarious you’re under the misguided notion that I’m talking about total snaps. Nope, it’s about percentage of snaps taken of the team’s offensive unit. This is really not hard to figure out. Because as you’re sifting through the PFF score rankings by position you’ll notice a drop down bar on the upper right where the cut off points are in % of snaps of that players unit. There you can see that DeMarco was an integral part of his offense all year long and only him and Bell played at least 75% of their offense’s snaps while most players qualifying for all pro or honorable mention fall at least into the 60% range including Beckham despite missing four games. You’ll also see that CJ didn’t even play in half his team’s offensive snaps so I don’t blame PFF one bit for leaving him off. It’s hard to make any case at all for a player being on a season’s all pro team that had such lousy production for half a season and didn’t even play most of the time the offense was on the field. So your goofy Rodgers analogy just doesn’t cut it.

Lastly I’ll point out that I never said CJ would regress to mean, just that he is most likely to. I’m talking probabilities here which you don’t seem to understand. You seem really confused about what I mean when I say ‘mean’ and it’s bizarre you would think I’m talking about some unknowable personal baseline. I’m talking about the population of nfl running backs that were graded and their average PFF score that have met the threshold of playing in at least 60% of their team’s snaps. CJ’s PFF performance is already an extreme outlier in that group, so it’s far more probable that he regresses toward that group’s mean than maintain an upward trajectory if he were given a more prominent share of his offense’s snaps over the totality of the season. This really shouldn’t be to difficult for you to understand, it’s basic statistical analysis. If you’re struggling with it still I suggest you take a class.

https://twitter.com/MALACHiOFCOURSE Malachi

amount of work, CJ is deserving had he played all year the way he did after week 8 when he became a starter. not his fault, per se, but murray played and STARTED all 16 games. jussayin, and i’m a diehard broncos fan

anon76returns

We’re talking honorable mention here. If CJ had played all season at the rate he played after week 8, he would have had the highest RB grade in the league by more than 10 points above Le’Veon Bell. At that point I would hope CJ would be 1st team All Pro. As it was, only 2 players had higher cumulative grades than CJ- seems that would at least merit an honorable mention.

Bob

Kahlil Mack graded out higher than everyone except Watt, so it baffles me that he wasn’t first team. He started from day 1, didn’t miss a game, and was the picture of consistency (Two negatively graded games I believe)!

Chris

This one is pretty straightforward (I think).

The Edge Rusher category is populated by a bunch of guys who are among the best at their positions in terms of getting pressure.

1. Watt: #1 pass rushing 3-4 DE, #1 overall

2. Houston: #1 pass rushing 3-4 OLB, #1 overall

3. Wake: #1 pass rushing 4-3 DE, #1 overall

4. Miller: #1 pass rushing 4-3 OLB, #2 overall

5. Suggs: #9 pass rushing 3-4 OLB, #4 overall

6. Bennett: #3 pass rushing 4-3 DE, #2 overall

Other than Suggs (who I don’t really think belongs on this list as he’s more of a balanced run stopper), this list is littered with guys who at the top of their positions in BOTH pass rushing and overall grade.

Mack? He was 1st overall, barely edging out Miller, but he did that with his amazing work in run support – his pass rushing grade paled in comparison to Miller and I assume that’s why he’s on the 2nd team.

Bob

If they’re going to value pass rushers over run stoppers who actually graded out higher, shouldn’t they make a separate category?

Chris

They did, it’s called Edge Rushers. The top pass rushing players who play on the edge made the list. Mack was the best run stopper but paled in comparison to Miller in terms of getting pressure.

I don’t think Suggs belongs on the list at all, and Mack is lucky to be there too. There are several 3-4 OLBs who were very good pass rushers (Dumervil, McPhee, Kerrigan to name a few) that could make a claim as being better Edge Rushers, as the category implies.

https://twitter.com/MALACHiOFCOURSE Malachi

i feel like jj watt should be in the defensive interior “ends” category tho and not an edge rusher. i know he does both, as they mentioned, but the eye test says he’s more of an interior player on 3rd downs, the money down for pass rushing

Chris

I agree with that. The problem is their hybrid 4-3/3-4 mesh system they use for these lists for the DL and LBs. They’ve got 4-3 DTs and 3-4 DEs in the Defensive Interior – Ends category, and then 3-4 NTs and a 4-3 DT at the Defensive Interior Nose category.

The Edge Rusher category consists of all 3-4/4-3 OLBs…and Watt, a 3-4 DE. He may play outside some but as you said his main trade is performed on the interior.

Tyler Ferree

I have to say i’m still fuming over wilkerson and richardson getting a combined 5 votes on the official all pro and mangold not even making second team (i think they had the garbage team around them held against them). Glad to see them get their due here.

https://twitter.com/MALACHiOFCOURSE Malachi

obviously von miller is an edge rusher. but technically… he’s not a 4-3 end OR a 3-4 olb in our base 4-3 under. i know i’m knit-picking tho. hell, our under look in base is essentially a 3-4 anyway and he plays end in nickel/dime, so i don’t know what i’m even saying, lol.

Chris

Mack plays the same position, basically a SAM backer who plays some 4-3 End at times. They play the run and rush the passer and do almost no work in coverage. That’s why they stick him in the Edge Rusher category instead of the Linebacker category with Levy, Davis, and Marshall.

https://twitter.com/MALACHiOFCOURSE Malachi

yea i know. was just being dumb

https://twitter.com/MALACHiOFCOURSE Malachi

appreciate the brandon marshall mention at inside LB. that kid has been a revelation to our D in denver. his value was extra obv in the two games he missed to end the season too.

https://twitter.com/MALACHiOFCOURSE Malachi

what makes chris harris jr.’s season extra crazy is that he is still less than a year removed from tearing his ACL against the chargers in the divisional round. god bless that kid.

Jeff

How does Maurkice Pouncey keep making the AP All-Pro team? He must be the most overrated lineman in the entire league!

Tyler Ferree

Its a matter of reputation, while not as egregious as the pro-bowl the writers are still more inclined to vote for players who they recognize.

Jeff

Then why don’t they just mail it in and just vote for Mangold? He has been in the league longer and has been the best at his position (outside of 2-3yrs) since he entered the league? I think it has more to do with Pouncey’s uniform than his play level.

Guest

Its a matter of reputation, while not as egregious as the pro-bowl the writers are still more inclined to vote for players whom they recognized.

skeptic

Great to see Chris Harris get recognition. Seems like a lot of other analysts try to dismiss his success based on a variety of biases.

https://twitter.com/MALACHiOFCOURSE Malachi

scary part is he’s only getting better

eYeDEF

Chris Harris Jr is a great technician. But you’ll never see him play press, leading to the strong impression that he can’t.

Khristian

DeMarco Murray is so overrated. Thanks for leaving him off

Jared

So Earl Thomas is widely considered the best safety in the NFL but there is no doubt that Weddle is the best safety? What?

http://pornhub.com/ Rich Homie Franklin #PimpSquad

not even an honarable mention for chancellor? gotdamn

Luke

The fact that Brees got a honorable mention over Luck or Manning is bullshit.

Applesauce

Probably has something to do with the fact that Luck is a pick machine and Peyton can’t throw a spiral.

disqus_rM3tr6QsVW

Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas second team? Kam Chancellor nowhere on it? Are you high? You have 3 players from the best team in the league on this list.

J_Duplicated2x

Dumervil?

Shaun

At least these guys don’t go with reputition or the popular guy.

bjub

you put joel bitonio, but not joe thomas wtf is wrong with you

Corey Szczebak

what a disgrace. Brady’s not even second team ALL PRO????!!!! The four time SB champion who beat the team that Aaron Rodger’s could not…the Seahawks, in one of the most impressive 4th quarters in history? Try to be a little less biased…even if you hate Brady thats no excuse. Brady should be #1, but you cant even give him #2? Pathetic pathetic pathetic!!!!